DENVER — Organizers of a planned New Year’s Day “smoke-out” at a Denver bar have cancelled the event under pressure from the city. “Cannabition” at Norad Dance Bar would have featured open consumption of marijuana on Wednesday.

“What we set out to do was prove that there is such a thing as a legal, private event for cannabis consumers,” said Matt Brown, one of Cannabition’s organizers. “For the 15 percent of Colorado’s residents who choose marijuana. They should be given an alternative to hiding at home.”

Cannabition had previously been planned at the City Hall nightclub, but that was cancelled as well, the Denver Post reported.

The city sent the bar a stern warning: “We provide you with this letter to dissuade you from hosting the event,” said Judy Steele, Interim Director of Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses. “However, if you go forward, we will exercise any and all options available to the City of Denver to halt the event and hold the business owners responsible for the violations of law.”

The city said marijuana can only be consumed in private residences beginning Jan. 1. Cannabition participants said they’d like groups of people to be able to smoke pot in a private setting outside of homes without breaking the law in the future.